Footwear and method of making the same



J. 1. BYERS. FOOTWEAR AND METHOD 0F MAKING THE s AME. APPLICATION `FILED `JAN. 1o, x91?.

1,361,961. Y Patented De,14,1920.

UNITED s'rlvras` PATENT i OFFICE.

JOSEPH J'. BYEBS, 0F BBOOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG'NOB T0 PRODUCTS SYNDI.. CATE, INC., F.BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OIF MAKING- THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application filed January 10, 1917. Serial No. 141,665.

" and more particularly, though not exclusively, to soles for boots or shoes and methods of preparing and applying the same. My invention covers the application of my improved sole to any boot or shoe, whether new or old, and by any suitable and usual means, such as cementing, stitching, or both, for example.

The invention will be best understood by reference tothe following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustrationY of one specific product of my method, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing l a conventional form of shoe embodying one form of my invention, the sole being shown as stitched to the shoe.

Fig. 2 shows one form of my novel sole cemented to the shoe.

Referring to the drawing and to the form of the invent1on illustrated therein, the shoe shown is submitted merely as an illustration of any piece of footwearl to which it is desired to apply an outer wear-receiving member, such as the outer sole l. This may be applied to the welt and inner sole either with or without the interposition of a suitable filler, but herein for simplicity and to illustrate the invention, I have shown the outer sole l applied to an intermediate sole layer 2. v

The outer lor wear-receiving portion of the sole is preferably treated to render the same water-repellent and highly Wear-re'- sisting, and is then so applied to the bottom of the shoe as to constitute a homogeneous wear-resisting layer.

Any suitable material may be taken as a. basis for the outer sole 1, but preferably the the required thickness and died out or cut to approximately the desired shape, lsaid sole is then preferably treated with a cement-like substance consisting of or including a cellulose derivative in solution and a quantity of non-oxidizing oil. This cementlike substance comprising a cellulose derivative and a non oxidizing oil, will hereinafter be referred to as cement.7 This treatment is preferably carried out in such a manner as to impregnate the Sole throughout with the cement and oil.

The'materials composing the cement and the proportions in which they are mixed may be varied within wide limits. A suitable cement, for example, may be prepared by dissolving some cellulose derivative. such as soluble nitro cellulose, in a suitable solvent, which may be, for example, acetone and alcohol in equal parts; if, for illustration soluble nitro cellulose and acetone and alcohol are used, one pound of soluble nitro cellulose to one gallon of solvent may be employed with good results. To this is preferably added a substantial amount of some non-oxidizing or non-drying oil, preferably a vegetable oil. This, for example, may be castor oil in the proportion of eight ounces to one gallon of the nitro cellulose.

The method of impregnation is by i111-,

ment of the material, and is also provided with suitably controlled heating means. so as to maintain the bath at a suitable vtiernperature.

The temperature of the bath should be maintained at a ypoint above the normal temperature of the air, but below that which would rapidly evaporate the solvent or inpair the qualities of the material to be treated. In the treatment of leather with a c*- ment constituted as described and containmaterial to a suitable drying temperature for a period long enough to drive out the moisture. The time and temperature required will dier for different materials and different masses of the same material. In the case of sole leather, for example, the leather may be hung or spread over night in a drying room or drying oven at a temperature of from 120 to 150 F.` In the case of some textile fabrics or thin sheet materials,

the material may be prepared for immersion by passing the same slowly through a dryin room or drying apparatus.

referably also the material should be handled and the treatment carried out in a room where the air has a low humidity so that in passing from the drying operation to the immersion, the material may have no opportunity to absorb or collect any substantial or detrimental amount of moisture.

By expelling substantially all of the moisture in the leather or other material and immersing it while in a dry state, the permeation or impregnation of the material is facilitated and it is possible to impregnate the entire mass with the cement. y i

With the sole dried as described, it may be immediately plunged into the bath. and there maintained immersed in the presence of heat for a long enough period thoroughly to impregnate it with the cement.

The period during which the immersion may be profitably continued will vary with the material and its thickness. In the case of some thin, permeable sheet' material, a few minutes will sometimes sufiice, while in the case of sole leather, for example, from several minutes to several hours may be required, according to the thickness. The immersion should be continued for a period sufficiently prolonged to impregnate the material throughout. Immersed in the heated solution for the required time the material becomes impregnated with the Y cement.

which I attribute to the fact that the oil which is sealed into the individual fibers or particles by the cement cannot be washed out by exposure to moisture. When ordinary leather becomes wet and is thereafter dried by exposure to heat, it loses its softness and flexibility and becomes dry and hard and cracks very readily. This is largely due to the fact that the oil, soap or grease contained in the leather has been in part washed out by the wetting of the leather and in part driven out by the subsequent application of heat for drying the leather. Leather treated by my present method, and which has become damp, can be readily dried by the application of heat without becoming hard or stiff and without losing its flexibility and water-repellent properties, which I also attribute to the fact that the oil is sealed into the individual fibers or particles by the cement and cannot be driven out by the heat used to dry the leather. That this is a great advantage in the case of soles for boots and shoes, w1ll be apparent.

It will thus be seen that leather treated by my present process appears to have an oilliexed property which is substantially permanent, while the oil contained in the cement throughout the body gives it a high degree of permanent flexibility, and -water repellent property.

After removing the material from the bath, it may be dried. The effect rof this is apparently to unite the fibers or particles into a homogeneous mass, leaving the oil sealed in the particles or fibers and protected by the cement, which, as I believe, incases them and binds them together throughout. Before the material is dried, however, it will preferably be subjected to some action serving to condense and compact the cement-impregnated mass. The pressing operation may be carried out in any desired or suitable Way, as for example, by subjecting the sole or wear receiving member to direct pressure between heated presser members, such as flat plates or presser rolls; but the direct pressure between fiat plates in a stationary press. so constructedthat the plates will exert a substantially uniform, continued pressure, simultaneously on all parts of the material,

lll

- nated sole.

or a considerable area thereof, for a more or less prolonged interval, or until the cement is set, will in general be found more satisfactory. The pressure of theplates will pref; erably be yieldingly adjustable.

Preferably the material is allowed partly to dry after removal from the bath and before compacting it, this apparently giving a greater density to the finished sole. In such cases the sole, after rst'having the excess of cement removed from its surface and having been partly dried, the drying being carried far enough to set the cement at or vnear the surface, may then be compressed between rolls or by any other suitable means. After being passed through a suitable number of compressing operations, the cementimpregnated sole will then be thoroughly dried.

Preferably the dried sole is coated with4 dissolved into and united with the homoge- Y neous cemented mass of the material and b ecomes a part thereof. The coating solution by way of illustration may be similar to that composing the bath. With' the coating partly dried it may be run between yielding hot rolls or pressed between hot plates, and this operation repeated as many times as is required, according to the character of the surface coating which it is desired to apply.

The sole thus finished is ready to be ap# plied to the shoe. Where the outer sole is applied directly to an interior soleA layer, as in the illustrated case, the outer face of the leather is preferably roughened up, by any suitable device, Such as a wire brush, S0 as to open up the fibers and permit the penetration of the cementing solution used to a sufcient depthto secure a firm anchorage. The outer sole is theli applied to the bottom of the shoe, preferably by means of cement, although the latter may be reinforced, if desired, by stitching or other fastening.

The following will serve as an illustration of one method of applying the sole.

' The bottom of the shoe having been roughened as described, is covered with a cement solution, and a Similar solution is applied to the upper face of the outer cement-impreg- The shoe and sole should be warm and dry before application of the cement and the operation should be carried out in a dry room. The cement employed for aiiixing the sole to the shoe is a cement whichcontains a cellulose derivative and may be of the same nature as the cement used for impregnating the outer sole 1 Preferably, however, it is heavier or more concentrated than that cement, such, for example, as would be obtained by using half the amount of solvent contained in the cement used for impregnation. While the cement on theshoe and the sole is still fluid, the sole is applied to the shoe, and subjected to a suitable, even pressure throughout, this pressure being maintained until the cement is Set. The application of heat with pressure will facilitate the evaporation of the solvent and the setting of the cement. When the cement is set, the pressure may be removed and the sole allowed thoroughly to dry after which it may be trimmed down and finished.

Thelayer of cement uniting the sole to the shoe renders the latter waterproof from below. Y

This sole treated by my process will buit or burnish to the same high degree as any other sole, and will take quite as perfect a finish upon its surface when treated by any usual burnishing or inishing process. The edges of my improved s ole may be finished with the same degree of perfection as those of any other sole. Furthermore the sole holds its finish.

The cement layer 3 by which the cement impregnated sole is secured to the shoe appears to unite with the cement which permeates the sole and to form therewith a homogeneous body. It also retains the same flexibility and water-repellent characteristics as the impregnated sole, so that the adhesive layer between the shoe and the sole becomes one with the sole with no opportunity or tendencyfor separation thereat or therefrom, and such layer bends and iexes freely in unison both with the sole and with the shoe surface to which it is aiiixed.

The sole of leather or other fibrous ma- -terial produced by this process is impreg.

nated with the oil-containing cement and is characterized throughout by a fibrous, cellular structure, the size and number of the air cells depending in part on the extent to which the condensing process and impregnation have been carried out. That is to say,

the sole, while water-repellent, may be given some degree of porosity, thereby imparting t0 it an advantage over soles made of other non-porous, water-repellent or waterproof materials, such for example as rubber. Ap parently the :fibers became incased with the cement after the sole has been immersed, without necessarily wholly filling the interstices between the fibers or wholl'ly7 expelling the air from within the same. he leather sole is characterized, after being treated by my process, by greater toughness, compactness and durability than the original leather before treatment, besides being substantiall and permanently water-repellent` While tougher and more durable, the sole is highly iexible because of the oil-containing cementfilled, cement-coated fibers. It will thus be seen that by my process durability, toughness, compactness and water-repellent qualities may be imparted to cheap or inferior rades of leather so as to make them availa le for uses and purposes not heretofore possible, and as equal or better substitutes for leather of more expensive grades. Thus, in the case of chrome tanned leather, the normally porous and loose structure of the leather becomes so charged with the cement that the leather has its fibrous structure compacted into a homogeneous, cement-bound, fibrous body. The cement adds to the initial strength of the union of the fibers, but because of the oil still leaves the product flexible. The cement also adds its strength to the strength of the fibers, producing a homogeneous, compacted body which can be worked in substantially the same manner as ordinary vegetable tanned sole leather.

Leather used for'uppers, whether chrometanned or otherwise, is of a closer, more compact cellular structure than sole leather, and said closer,mo re compact cellular structure is substantially uniform throughout the entire thickness of the leather, whereas sole leather for a considerable portion of its thickness is of an extremely loose and coarsely porous structure, the closer porous structure extending inwardly from its outer surfaces for a relatively short distance only. As a result, when the outer surface of ordinary sole leather is worn through, the interior loose and more coarsely porous portion of thesole leather which constitutes the greater portion of its thickness, wears ver) quickly by use. Upper leather, chrometanned, for example, is, however, unadapted for use as soles on account of its softness, lack of resiliency and liability to stretch. When treated by my process, however, the compactly porous uniform structure of upper leather becomes so charged with the cement that it is converted into a compacted, homogeneous, cement-bound fibrous body, which while flexible, owing to the oil confined by the cement within its pores, has lost` its objectionable softness and liability to stretch and has gained the necessary resiliency and other qualities to enable it to be used as sole leather. A sole made of upper leather treated by myprocess will be by far more wear-resisting than a sole of the same thickness made of ordinary sole leather, owing to the uniform, more compact cellular structure of the upper leather throughout as compared to the sole leather having the loose cellular structure extending throughout the greater portion of its thickness.

It will thus be seen that upper leather,

chrome-tanned, for example, treated by my process is not only adapted for use as soles but furnishes a better, more wear-resisting sole than one made of ordinary sole leather.

- process.

What has been said in respect to upper leather, applies equally to any leather which has been tanned by a process used for tanning upper leather.

My improved sole may be secured to the shoe by stitching without the aid of cement, the stitches extending around the edges of the shoe in the usual manner through thc welt or the interior sole layer 2, whereas in the illustrative example shown, the outer sole is applied directly to such an interior sole.

In this connection it should be noted that my improved sole can be stitched to the shoe without any previous preparation, that is to say, it can be stitched or otherwise secured to the shoe while dry without being previously moistened or tempered as is necessary in the case of leather soles heretofore used. Furthermore, the leather of the sole treated by my process shows much less liability to split or tear in sewing than ordinary leather.

There my improved sole is stitched to the shoe and not cemented thereto, the coatings 0f the cement solution applied to the surface of the sole, as above stated, add to the waterrepellent qualities of the sole.

A sole treated by my process will not stretch; it will thus retain its shape in use and is therefore conducive to retaining the shape. of the shoe to which it is affixed.

Furthermore, leather treated by my process resists the rotting action, which in ordinary leather is due in part to the presence of ammonia in the perspiration from the foot.

It will be apparent that the material from which the soles are to be formed could be impregnated in the piece before cutting or dieing out the soles therefrom.

It has been found that in some cases it is preferable to subject the leather to a degreasing process, in order to remove from it any excessive or undesirable oil, soap or grease, before .treating the leather by my Any usual or well-known degreasing process may be employed for this purpose, such .for example as immersing the leather for the necessary length of time in a bath of na htha, benzene or other suitable agent. In t e case of textile fabrics the best results are obtained with unsized materials.

While l have herein described one illustrative example of my improved product and the several steps by which one form of my process may be carried out, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact details specified, or any of them, but that these may be varied within wide limits Without exceeding the true scope of the invention, which is definitely set forth by the claims.

Having described my invention, what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is y 1. As a new article of manufacture, a' boot or shoe or other article of footwear having an outer wear-resisting layer impregnated throughout with a cement including a cellulose derivative and a non-oxidizin oil, and cemented to the under side of the sald article by a cementcontaining similar materials.

2. As a new article of manufacture,an article of footwear having an outer sole layer composed of leather impregnated throughout with cement comprising a 'cellulose derivative and non-oxidizing oil, and cemented to the said article by au adhesive layer of cement containing similar materials, said adhesive layer being waterproof and it and the cement permeating the sole being united into a homogeneous, water-repellent, flexible body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an article of footwear having a Wear-resisting coating of permeable material impregnated throughout with cement containing a cellulose derivative and non-oxidizing oil, and cemented to the article of footwear by an adhesive layer of cement comprising cement similar to that with which said material is impregnated, said adhesive layer and the cement permeating the material of the wearresisting coating being united into a homogeneous, water-repellent, flexible body.

4. The method of providing a' shoe with a wear-resisting, fibrous layer' which consists in immersing a sheet of fibrous material in a heated bath composed of a solution of a cement containing a cellulose derivative and a non-oxidizing oil, maintaining such immersion until said material is impregnated with the cement, removing said material from the bath, pressing the same before the cement is set, coating the surface of said material with a cement also containing a non-oxidizing oil and a cellulose derivative, pressing the said surface, coating the 2 under side of the shoe and the finished surface of the cement-impregnated sheet material with a relatively heavy cement also containing similar materials, and permanently cementing the said sheet of material to the shoe by applying pressure to the same and allowing it to set.

5. The method of providing a shoe or other article of footwear with a wear-resisting, fibrous layer, which is characterized by` of the said article and the coated surface of the cement-impregnated sheet material with ing a sole or sheet of leather or other fibrous material, immersing said sole or sheet in a heated bath comprising in solution a cement containing a cellulose derivative and nonoxidizing oil, maintaining said sole or sheet in said bath until impregnated with the cement, removing the same from the bath, applying to one surface of said sole or sheet a coatin of cement similar to that with which said sole or sheet was impregnated, applying said cement-coated surface upon the said article with said sole or sheet in position to be secured thereto, and permanently securing said sole or sheet to the said article.

7. The method of providing a shoe or other article of footwear with a wear-resisting sole or layer of leather or other fibrous materiaLwhich is characterized by degreasing a sole or sheet of leather or other fibrous material, removing substantially all moisture therefrom, immersing same in a heated bath comprising in solution a cement\ co n taining a cellulose derivative and non-0X1d1zing oil, maintaining said sole or sheet in said bath until impregnated with the cement, removing the Same from the bath, compacting said sole or sheet, drying it, applying to the surface of said sole or sheet a coating of cement similar to that with which said sole or sheet was impregnated, applying said cement-coated surface upon the said article, with said sole or sheet in position to be secured to the latter,'and permanently securing said sole or sheet to the said article.

8. The method of providing a shoe or other article of footwear with a wear-resisting sole or layer of leather or other fibrous material, which is characterized by removing substantially all moisture from a sole or sheet of leather or other librous material, immersing it while free from moisture in a heated bath comprising a cement containing a cellulose derivative and non-oxldizmg oil, maintaining the temperature of said bath nently securing said sole or sheet to the said article by means of a layer of cement similar to that with which said sole or sheet 1s impre ated.

9. he method of providing a shoe or other article of footwear with a wear-resisting sole or layer of leather or other fibrous material, which is characterized by immersing a sole or sheet of leather or other fibrous material in a heated bath comprising in solution a cement containing a cellulose derivative and non-oxidizing oil, maintaining the sole or sheet in said bath until impregnated, withdrawing the same from the bath and partly drying it to set the cement near the surface, subjecting said sole` or sheet to pressure to compact the mass thereof and further to unite the cemented particles, drying said sole or sheet, coating it with cement similar to that used to impregnate it, allowing said coating to dry, and permanently securing said sole or sheet by pressure to the said article, by a layer of cement similar to that with which said sole or sheet is impregnated.

l0. The method of providing a shoe or other footwear with a wear-resisting sole or layer of leather or other fibrous material, which is characterized by impregnating a sole or sheet of leather or other fibrous material throughout with a cement comprising a non-oxidizing oil and a cellulose derivative in solution, removing the excess of cement from the surface of said sole or sheet, partly drying, compacting the mass of said sole or sheet under pressure, and permanently securing said sole or sheet to the shoe or other footwear by cement, similar to that with which said sole or sheet is impregnated.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a sole of leather impregnated throughout with cement containing a cellulose derivative and a non-oxidizing oil, and consisting of initially united fibers substantially free from moisture and charged with said cement containing the cellulose derivative and nonoxidizing oil and incased with the same, said leather having its fibrous structure compacted into a homogeneous, cement-bound, fibrous body.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a water-repellent sole of fibrous sheet material, impregnated throughout with cement containing a cellulose derivative and nonoxidizing oil, and consisting of initially united fibers charged with said cement and incased with the same, said sole having its brous structure compacted into a homogeneous, cement-bound fibrous body.

13. As a new article of manufacture, a sole of cement-im regnated leather, the minute fibers of w ich are oil-fiexed and united into a homogeneous mass by a cement containing a cellulose derivative and nonoxidizing oil, the said leather being waterrepellent and itself substantially free from moisture.

14. The method of making a wear-resisting sole of leather or other fibrous material,

which is characterized by immersing said sole in a heated bath of cement comprising a cellulose derivative and a non-oxidizing oil, maintaining the sole in said bath until impregnated with the cement, removing said sole from the bath, drying it, coating said sole with cement comprising similar materials as the cement with which it is imprlegna'ted, and drying and finishing the so e.

15. The method of making a wear-resisting sole of leather or other fibrous material, which is characterized by immersing said sole in a heated bath of cement comprising a cellulose derivative and non-oxidizing oil, maintaining the sole in said bath until said sole is impregnated with said cement, removing said sole from the bath, compaeting the mass of the sole further to unite the cemented particles thereof, drying it, coating said sole with cement comprising similar materials as the cement with which it is impregnated, and drying and finishing the sole.

As a new article of manufacture, a sole of fibrous material impregnated throughout with a cement comprising a cellulose derivative and a non-oxidizing oil to render said sole water-repellent, and having its fibrous structure compacted linto a homogeneous cement-bound body and one surface coated with cement also containing a cellulose derivative and non-oxidizing oil toladd to the water-repellent qualities of the so e.

17. As a new article of manufacture, a sole of fibrous material impregnated throughout with a cement comprising a cellulose derivative and a non-oxidizing oil to render said sole water-repellent, and having its fibrous structure com acted into a homogeneous cement-bound body and one surface coated with water-repellent or waterproof cement to add to the water-repellent qualities of the sole.

18. As a new article of manufacture, a boot or shoe or other article of footwear, having an outer wear-receiving sole of permeable material impregnated throughout with a cement containing a cellulose de rivative and a non-oxidizing oil and secured to the said article.

19. As a new article of manufacture, a boot or shoe or other article of footwear, having an outer wear-receivin sole of permeable material impregnate throughout with a cement containing a cellulose derivative and a non-oxidizing oil and having its mass compacted by pressure, and permanently secured to the under side of the said article.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH J. BYERS. 

